Courtney Marie Andrews is just turning 20. Listening to For One I Knew makes you think of someone older and more worldly. Her voice is confident and her music is dark and twisting. At times, she reminds you of Joni Mitchell’s more folky stuff from the early part of her career before she discovered jazz tunings. River Jones Music is a label based in Phoenix, Arizona. The label has a knack for cultivating young artists hanging in the downtown area of that city. Speaking of local artists, local boys Jimmy Eat World had Courtney sing backup on their recent album and tour. Lots going on around this artist. You should also check out her other albums. Yup, older than her years.

L.A. buzz band Shadow Shadow Shade release their debut album Shadow Shadow Shade on Public Records. It jumps out the gate with “Is This A Tempest In The Shape Of A Bell,” which sounds like Brian Eno fronting early Pink Floyd.

I guess it’s no wonder that this seven-piece band see themselves as a big art project more than a rock group. The members include a producer, an opera singer (you can’t miss her) and various other art type folks. The vocal arrangements are quite startling in their complexity and tonal quality.

I guess the thing that really gets me about this group, is the depth of the music and the vision put into the entire project. From the cover art to individual notes, you can tell they give a shit. They conjure bands like the Mama’s And Papas, Queen, Roxy Music and the already mentioned Pink Floyd. The new album’s on sale for $5.99, which makes it easy to afford. I promise the music is not cheap and it will keep you wondering where these guys have been hiding all these years. – radiofreedavis@thinkindie

Do you know how to write about love ? Are you a huge Belle & Sebastian fan? Well, Think Indie and Matador records has a contest for you. The first 20 people to buy the new Belle & Sebastian album Write About Love will get a code that allows them to enter a special contest. (The code will be emailed to you after your purchase — not immediately, we aren’t NASA).

The contest is a 300-word essay contest about love. The band will judge the entries. The winner will have Stuart Murdoch fly into your town. He will hang with you for the afternoon and then write a song about you. That song will be featured on a limited-edition 7-inch.